Me by Amber McBride: Questions and Answers

Why does Moth decide to keep her name despite considering a change?

(Chapter 3: Call Me (Moth))

Moth keeps her name because her parents, Jim and Marcia, chose it, and she sees it as a wilderness of angelica root crafted for her spirit. She reflects that names outgrow people but don't disappear, and she ultimately decides to keep it because it ties her to her lost family and her identity as a moth.

Evidence: In the chapter, she considers changing her name but concludes that names hang to bones like forever suits, and she decides to keep it because that is what her parents named her.

Interpretation: The name symbolizes her connection to her family and her transformation, as moths represent night, change, and the liminal space between life and death. It also foreshadows her role as a ghost who must accept her identity to move on.